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HN Summarizer

Version 1.0.0 View in Chrome Web Store

Last scanned: about 3 hours ago

Extension Details

Rating: 0.0 ★

Context-Aware Verdict

HIGH

Overall Risk

Trust Factors: This extension has several concerning trust indicators. It has zero users, no ratings or reviews, and lacks basic developer information including author details. The extension appears to be newly created or unpublished, making it impossible to verify its legitimacy or track record. The absence of user adoption and community feedback significantly reduces trustworthiness.

Concerns: The primary concern is the overly broad host permissions (*://*/*) which grants access to all websites, far exceeding what's necessary for a Hacker News summarizer that should only need access to news.ycombinator.com. This excessive permission scope creates potential for data theft, credential harvesting, or unauthorized tracking across all browsing activity. The combination of activeTab and storage permissions with universal host access amplifies these risks. The lack of transparency regarding the developer's identity and the extension's purpose raises additional red flags.

Recommendations: Do not install this extension in its current state. If you must test it, create a dedicated Chrome profile with no sensitive accounts or data. Wait for the extension to gain users, reviews, and proper developer identification before considering installation. Look for alternative Hacker News summarizer extensions with established user bases and more restrictive permissions. If the developer addresses the permission scope and provides proper identification, reassess the extension's safety.

Findings

HIGH

Broad Host Permissions

This extension has broad host permissions allowing it to access many or all websites. This could potentially be used to steal sensitive data or track browsing activity.

MEDIUM

Medium-Risk Permission: activeTab

This extension has the activeTab permission. Can access the active tab when clicking the extension icon.

MEDIUM

Medium-Risk Permission: storage

This extension has the storage permission. Can store data locally.

Raw Manifest

{
  "name": "HN Summarizer",
  "icons": {
    "16": "icons/icon16.png",
    "48": "icons/icon48.png",
    "128": "icons/icon128.png"
  },
  "action": {
    "default_icon": {
      "16": "icons/icon16.png",
      "48": "icons/icon48.png",
      "128": "icons/icon128.png"
    },
    "default_popup": "popup.html"
  },
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "background": {
    "service_worker": "background.js"
  },
  "update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx",
  "description": "Summarize Hacker News article links inline using AI",
  "permissions": [
    "activeTab",
    "storage"
  ],
  "content_scripts": [
    {
      "js": [
        "content.js"
      ],
      "css": [
        "content.css"
      ],
      "matches": [
        "*://news.ycombinator.com/*"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "host_permissions": [
    "*://*/*"
  ],
  "manifest_version": 3
}

by ✦ Astarte

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=	https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions
https://api.x.ai/v1/chat/completions	https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/models/
https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages	https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx
http://www.w3.org/2000/svg

HN Summarizer

Extension Details

Context-Aware Verdict

Findings

Security Analysis Details

Required Permissions:

Host Permissions:

Embedded URLs (7 total):

Raw Manifest

Detections

Manifest Findings